British Champions Day 2020 Preview
British Champions Day brings the flat season to a close with six high-quality races coming to us from Ascot. Stradivarius is the star attraction in the curtain-raising Long Distance Cup where it’s hard to see him getting beat. The unbeaten Palace Pier defends his record in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and is difficult to overlook, while Alternative Fact could be the answer in the Balormal with Frankie in the saddle.
Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup (Group 2)
This undoubtedly revolves around Stradivarius and, with the opposition lacking any real depth, it’s very difficult to look beyond him. He failed to land a blow in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe but there was no pace in the race which was never going to play to his strengths given the trip was a bare minimum for him. That run was just 13 days ago but that run won’t have taken too much out of him and he’s backed up quickly before.
Stradivarius has won 11 of his 13 races over two miles or beyond with his only two defeats being a close third to Order Of St George in the Long Distance Cup as a three-year-old in 2017 and when just beaten by Kew Gardens in last year’s renewal.
Search For A Song will prove a popular alternative to the favourite having won a second Irish St Leger at The Curragh last month, but the quality of that race is questionable and it’s her Derby so she may have peaked. Fujaira Prince chased home Search For A Song at The Curragh, which puts him in contention for a place but he’s not guaranteed to appreciate the extra two-furlongs, while recent Group 3 winner Dawn Patrol looks the best of the O’Brien trio and has more to offer over this trip.
Selection: Dawn Patrol – E/W
Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes (Group 1)
Donjuan Triumphant sprung a 33-1 surprise last year where he mowed down One Master late on. William Haggas’s charge bids to go one better having made history by becoming the first triple winner of the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp when last seen. She’s an incredible mare and must rank highly. Oisin teams up with Dream Of Dreams again and had a good few of these in behind them in the Sprint Cup last time. He could be called the winner from some way that day and is a talented individual. On the negative side, he’s been disappointing on his last two appearances on Champions Day and is worth taking on. July Cup winner Oxted and the smart Art Power both hold strong claims but it may be worth taking a chance on Cape Byron who’s got a good record when fresh and is a course and distance winner.
Selection: Cape Byron – E/W
Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (Group 1)
At the beginning of the week, it looked like we might get to see Enable have her swansong here but it wasn’t to be. Looking at the confirmed runners it looks like the weakest of the Group 1 contests with recent Group 1 winner Wonderful Tonight topping the market. It would be great to see her win for David Menuisier but the drop in trip may be enough to stop her. The only other Group 1 winner in the field is Even So who was a smooth winner of the Irish Oaks but was below par in the Prix Vermeille last time. Antonia De Vega got a great ride from Harry Bentley to win at Newmarket and even though she needs to improve, that was her first run in more than three months and better again can be expected from her.
Of the others, the consistent Dame Malliot would be a very popular winner but needs to bring her form to another level, while the progressive Thundering Nights ran well in the Blanford Stakes and should improve for the step up in trip.
Selection: Antonia De Vega
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Group 1)
This looks like the race of the day with the unbeaten Palace Pier, the star attraction. He’s 5-5 to date and has shown his quality when winning the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot in June before following up in the Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville. He seems to have all the attributes needed to be a proper Group 1 miler and will be difficult to beat. Such is the embarrassment of riches at John Gosden’s disposal he has another big contender with Nazeef who’s already won the Falmouth and Sun Chariot this season but may struggle here against the opposite sex. French-raider The Revenant was somewhat workmanlike on seasonal debut at Longchamp where he reportedly needed the run. This would have been the plan since he finished runner-up twelve months ago and he can’t be dismissed. Circus Maximus has won both starts over course and distance in Group 1 company but was a long way behind Palace Pier at Deauville last time.
Selection: Palace Pier
Qipco Champion Stakes
A proper-looking renewal of the Champion Stakes with no less than 16 Group 1 victories between Addeybb, Desert Encounter, Japan, Lord North, Magical, Mishriff and Serpentine.
Seven of these top-level wins are credited to Magical, who beat the world’s highest-rated horse, Ghaiyyath, to win her second Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown last time, with Sottsass, the subsequent Arc winner, only finishing fourth. She’s won on Champions Day for the past two years winning this race twelve months ago and will be difficult to beat in a bid for a repeat victory. Addeybb finished runner-up behind Magical last year and even though he looks sure to run his race again it’s hard to see him turning the tables.
Prince of Wales’s winner Lord North, reportedly lost a shoe when finishing third in the Juddmonte so that run can be marked up and he should be right on the premises, while the ever-popular Pyledriver may outrun his odds given how easily he won at the Royal meeting and has held his form since then.
Selection: Pyledriver – E/W
Balmoral Handicap – PAYING 5 PLACES
The hugely-progressive three-year-old Kingman colt Raeeq was having just his fifth career start when easily landing a 7f handicap at the start of the month and is clearly well-in here running under a 6lb penalty. That being said 20 three-year-olds have contested this race since it’s inception with none of them winning, which is a major concern.
One of the more interesting runners is the Irish-raider Njord, who’s trained by Jessica Harrington. He’s gone up a total of twenty-eight pounds since joining the yard and finished a close-up fifth in the Irish Cambridgeshire, two starts back which bring him into calculations.
The booking of Frankie Dettori on Alternative Fact, who has sneaked into the field is quite eye-catching. He was slowly away from the gate at York last week and ran well to finish as close as he did, so if breaking on terms he’s got an outside chance. Course specialist Raising Sand has only had the one run this season and even though he’s four-pounds higher than his last winning mark, he’ll be on the premises.
Selection: Alternative Fact – E/W
